There is no operational value to international forces says MK and chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Avigdor Liberman.In a speech at the opening of Herut’s National Council in October 1948, Menachem Begin attacked the government’s foreign policy at the time, which blindly relied on the assurances given by the United Nations to guarantee our national security.Begin believed that “the directors of our foreign policy do not see... not the actual international reality, not our strategic position and not the state of our enemies. Since these blind people believe in the UN, its army, and its decisions, they have not prepared the power of the Jewish army.”Throughout the history of our region, we have repeatedly witnessed the establishment of “peacekeeping forces,” which are ostensibly to serve as a buffer between parties in the Middle East conflict and help keep the peace. However, in reality these forces have repeatedly acted against their established purpose and mandate.Since the War of Independence, no international forces have intervened, not even once, to prevent attacks emanating from Arab nations or by terrorist organizations against the State of Israel. On the contrary, each time there was concern of an escalation, the international forces pulled back their troops and avoided any friction, especially when the State of Israel was attacked.In certain instances, these forces turned a blind eye or even collaborated with those Arab nations in violation of signed agreements...

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

A ceremony took place today, June 4th, in Brest, Belarus, the hometown of Former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, to officially launch a series of events around the world marking his 100th birthday.

The commemoration, which was organized by Limmud FSU and the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, took place in front of the school he attended as a child (Tachkemoni School in Brest; 49 Kuybeshava St.) and was the official launch of a host of events that will occur over the next few months to honor the Former Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Price Laureate. Participants at the ceremonies included around 200 members of the local Jewish community, a delegation from Limmud FSU and representatives from the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. The event was part of the Limmud FSU Festival that took place this entire week in different cities throughout Belarus.

“We are very proud that we had the opportunity to open the events for Menachem Begin all over the world here in his hometown in Brest,” said Chaim Chesler, Founder of Limmud FSU. “Begin is not only the most famous Jew to come out of Brest, but probably the most famous resident to ever live in the city. By the turnout at these great ceremonies, it seems the people of Brest are beginning to realize that.”

Before the Holocaust, there were 26,000 Jews that resided in Brest, but only 19 survived after the war. Now, there are currently a couple of hundred Jews that live in Brest.

“The Jewish community of Brest honored today one of its most famous sons in a very emotional and touching event,” said Herzl Makov, Head of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. “I think it is only natural that we launch these series of events honoring the 100th birthday of Begin in the city where he was born and where he began his so illustrious career.”

VITEBSK, Belarus – The latest incarnation of Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) took place for the first time in Belarus over the weekend, one of the most storied countries in Jewish history.
Once home to a thriving Jewish community decimated by World War II, Belarus produced nine Israeli presidents, two Nobel Prize laureates and dozens of world-class rabbis, intellectuals and artists. Notable among these figures are President Shimon Peres, former prime ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir, former president Chaim Weizmann, the Soloveitchik rabbinical dynasty, and renowned artists Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine and Nahum Goldmann.

In Vitebsk, a four-hour drive outside the capital of Minsk, over 500 young Jewish men and women converged from Friday to Sunday to learn more about their shared history.

...“We combined Limmud with Vitebsk, the capital of culture of the former Soviet Union – the country of Chagall and many other distinguished artists, as well as the former home to two great Israeli leaders and Nobel Prize winners, Shimon Peres and Menachem Begin,” said Chesler.

He praised the governments of Minsk and Brest, known to be politically restrictive, for having agreed to honor Peres’s childhood home and recognize Begin.

“It is a great achievement for Limmud to work on a joint effort of this kind with these governments, and shows that there is still a future for Jews in this part of the world,” he said.

About Me

American born, my wife and I moved to Israel in 1970. We have lived at Shiloh together with our family since 1981. I was in the Betar youth movement in the US and UK. I have worked as a political aide to Members of Knesset and a Minister during 1981-1994, lectured at the Academy for National Studies 1977-1994, was director of Israel's Media Watch 1995-2000 and currently, I work at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. I was a guest media columnist on media affairs for The Jerusalem Post, op-ed contributor to various journals and for six years had a weekly media show on Arutz 7 radio. I serve as an unofficial spokesperson for the Jewish Communities in Judea & Samaria.